The 29-year-old singer stunned her family and friends when she announced her divorce from marine biologist Adam Gouraguine – which took place while she was hard at work to the follow up to her record breaking 2012 album Our Version of Events.

Follow-up record, Long Live the Angels, is a soul-shaking collection of deeply contemplative tracks which sees Emeli’s signature vocals soar to new highs but she says she wanted to confront every aspect of her life through her music for the sequel to her debut – and not just focus on her marriage breakdown.

Recent tour: Emeli Sande performs on stage at St John-at-Hackney Church in October (Picture: Gus Stewart/Redferns)

‘A few people have suggested it is a breakup album, but this album for me is kind of a self-love album,’ the singer told Metro.co.uk.

‘Go through the s**t parts. Go through all the stuff you have to go through. But come out the other end,’ she advises – hopeful that her album can be an inspiration to anyone struggling with any aspect of their life and adding she feels more centred with herself now she is divorced.

Emeli says she has not given up on love and thinks she will make a better soul mate now she’s been through the wringer.

‘I love being in relationships and I do love it – but I get lost in it,’ she says.

‘I feel like I did. I lost myself in relationships before because I enjoyed the feeling of being part of someone’s life. But I didn’t know myself well enough to have my own identity and my own kind of sense of self. Now after this whole crash course and learning that if I get into another relationship I’ll be able to come stronger and our worlds can be balanced together.’

Since bursting onto the music scene as a guest vocalist on Professor Green’s Read All About It in 2011, Emeli (as well as releasing her own music) has collaborated with other artists including Labrinth, Naughty Boy, David Guetta, and Rudimental, wowed the world with her voice at the 2012 London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, performed at the White House, and collaborated with Stevie Wonder but says she still feels far from famous despite everyone in the UK knowing who she is.

‘I don’t really feel that famous, walking around,’ she giggled to us.

‘People might recognise me a bit and say “I like that song” and that’s cool. But I don’t feel like a celebrity – unless I’m at a big event and am all done up. It’s been fine, to be honest and I don’t get papped anyway!’ she laughs.

However she has said people mostly recognise her when she’s out driving around town.

‘The music is pretty loud and I am usually singing,’ she says, adding: ‘Some people when I’m driving they will know who I am.’

Emeli Sande’s second album, Long Live the Angels, is released on November 11 2016 (Picture: Virgin Records)

Long Live the Angels is out tomorrow, Friday 11 November 2016, under Virgin.